


Scar

by mallipuvu



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Character Study, Established Relationship, First Time, Fluff and Angst, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, Post-Canon, Scars, only a little angst tho, spoilers for ryuji's backstory but spoiler-free other than that
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-16
Updated: 2017-07-16
Packaged: 2018-12-03 00:53:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 870
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11521110
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mallipuvu/pseuds/mallipuvu
Summary: The long, dark, ugly protrusion is a visceral reminder of one of the worst moments of his life.Nobody’s seen the scar before, save for a couple doctors and his mom. By now, Ryuji’s become an expert at putting his clothes on without looking down. If he pretends hard enough, it’s like it isn’t even there.





	Scar

**Author's Note:**

> (inspired by this post: http://kouhii.tumblr.com/post/163005748571/kicks-door-down-captain-kidds-right-thigh-is )  
> Any excuse for some pegoryu fluff & feels, amirite?

It’s only been a couple years, but Ryuji feels like he’s had that scar on his thigh for his entire life. His encounter with Kamoshida and the subsequent dissolution of the track team feels like a lifetime ago- if it wasn’t for the scar, he’s not sure he’d remember it as clearly as he does. But the long, dark, _ugly_ protrusion is a visceral reminder of one of the worst moments of his life.

Nobody’s seen the scar before, save for a couple doctors and his mom. By now, Ryuji’s become an expert at putting his clothes on without looking down. If he pretends hard enough, it’s like it isn’t even there.

He’s not thinking about it when he wraps his arms around Akira’s neck and kisses him hard, but the moment Akira’s hands reach the button on Ryuji’s pants, he pulls away, red-faced.

“W-Wait,” He stammers, and Akira lifts his hands, ever respectful, ever too good for him. “I…” 

He’s at a loss for words, and the concern in Akira’s eyes only fuels his nerves. He sighs and buries his head in the crook of Akira’s neck, a bubble of frustration rising in his chest.

“ ‘M sorry,” he mumbles, and Akira wraps his arms around Ryuji, holding him close. 

“Don’t be sorry, we don’t have to do this right now, I’ll wait as long as you need until you’re ready-“ Akira begins but Ryuji, mentally banging his head against a wall, looks up at him and cuts him off. 

“No no no, dude, it’s not that, it’s just- so, I have this, uh…” he chokes out the last word.  
“Scar.”

Akira blinks twice, and Ryuji wishes he could go back in time and turn the lights off before any of this could happen. “…Scar?”

“Yeah, a scar. On my leg. From when Kamoshida, uh…” He rubs the back of his neck with a small sigh, “Broke it.”

“Oh.” Akira’s look softens and he takes a seat on his bed, patting gently on space next to him.  
“It’s pretty big. No one’s really seen it before. It’s… really ugly. Just thought I should, uh, warn you.” Ryuji turns his head slightly, pretending to be ever so fixated on the knick-knacks on Akira’s shelf, but Akira gently turns it back, locking their eyes. 

“I won’t look at it if you don’t want me to,” Akira’s eyes refuse to break contact with Ryuji’s, and _god_ , it makes his chest ache. “But it’s not something you need to warn me about. I’m sure it’s beautiful- it’s part of you, after all.” 

There’s a pause, and Ryuji bursts out laughing. “Sheesh, man-“ He feels the tension in his chest loosen just a bit. “How do you even come up with this shit?” 

Akira gives him a mischievous smile and leans in to rest his forehead against Ryuji’s.

“I’m just that good.”

\----

Ryuji closes his eyes and tries to fall asleep to the sound of rain against Akira’s window. He’s got too much on his mind to go down so easily- the ever-present faint, dull throb of his thigh is enough to keep his thoughts racing for hours. He shifts his attention to the glowing stars on Akira’s ceiling- It’s surprising that they’re still bright after all this time. Despite his best efforts, his mind still travels back to the itchy red cast, to the smug look on Kamoshida’s face, to the glares of his ex-teammates, to his mother’s hollow smile, to- 

“Ryuji?” Akira’s sleepy voice cuts into his thoughts, “You up?” 

Akira always sees through him like glass, there’s no point in lying. “Yeah, but I’ll fall asleep soon. Go back to sleep.” Ryuji adjusts his arm when Akira rolls over to rest his head against it, savoring the warmth of the other’s bare skin on his. 

“Everything alright?” Ryuji can hear the sleepiness leaving Akira’s voice and feels a pang of guilt in his chest. 

“Yeah, yeah, don’t worry about it, I just, uh…” He pauses, unsure of how to continue that sentence. 

Akira reaches up to press a kiss to Ryuji’s jaw before laying his head down on his chest. “Talk to me.”

As if by instinct, Ryuji threads his fingers through Akira’s hair, gently running them through his curls. “Ain’t much to say, my leg just kinda… hurts a little.”

“Oh, was I too rough?” Akira asks lightly, and Ryuji snorts with laughter.

“Naw- dude- c’mon!” Ryuji can feel his face get hotter as Akira’s laugh reverberates against his chest. “It always hurts a little, y’know?”

Akira hums thoughtfully, and the two fall into an easy silence punctuated by the occasional rumble of thunder.

“Sometimes I wonder what life would be like if it never happened,” Ryuji blurts out without thinking, his breath hitching as his brain catches up with his mouth. “I, uh, I mean-“

Ryuji feels a warm hand on his thigh, gentle fingers tracing up and down the length of his scar. At first, he stiffens, but then slowly relaxes under Akira’s familiar touch, closing his eyes to revel in the feeling.

“But if it hadn’t, then…” Ryuji lets out a content sigh, eyelids growing heavier with every movement of Akira’s hand.

“I would have never met you.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading the fic! This is my first fic in 10+ years but after reading that post about Captain Kidd's bandage I had a Lot of feelings. Akira, my boy, your one-liners will be the death of us all.


End file.
